1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to pallets and more particularly pertains to a new shipping and storage pallet for storing or moving cargo and freight.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of pallets is known in the prior art. More specifically, pallets heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
Known prior art pallets include U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,396; U.S. Pat. No. 4,843,976; U.S. Pat. No. 5,365,859; U.S. Pat. No. 4,597,338; U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,052; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 347,511.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new shipping and storage pallet. The inventive device includes an integral deck member with a plurality of spaced apart elongate slat portions that extend between a pair of deck member longitudinal sides and which are arrayed between a pair of deck member lateral sides. Upper surfaces of the slat portions define a deck member top upon which items may be rested. A plurality of spaced apart elongate stringer portions extend from a deck member bottom defined by the lower surfaces of the slat portions. An elongate mounting tongue extends along the length of each deck member stringer portion. An integral base member includes a plurality of spaced apart elongate base slat portions. Each base slat portion extends between longitudinal sides of the base member. Lower surfaces of the base slat portions rest on a surface. Upper surfaces of the base slat portions define a base member top from which a plurality of base member base stringer portions extend. Each of the base member base stringer portions has an elongate mounting groove that extends along the length of the base stringer portion. Each mounting tongue of the deck member stringer portions is inserted into a mounting groove of a base member base stringer portion to form a plurality of complete stringer members. The deck member bottom is spaced apart from the base member top to define an entry space into which the forks of a forklift may be inserted.
In these respects, the shipping and storage pallet according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of storing or moving cargo and freight.